Chapter 4 Beauty and the Bronski
by James Neal
Summary: Two of the new Rebel recruits, a tough as nails mercenary that's beginning to feel his age and a drop dead gorgeous assassin that looks like she belongs on the cover of a fashion magazine, have a run in with a gang of Gotals on their way to a meeting with their friends.


Bronski went to war in his late teens and never went home. He has been a mercenary for over thirty years and has fought in almost every war since. He is a military genius but has never held a rank higher than lieutenant because he is to course in his personal habits to but it lightly. He is somewhat of a legend in mercenary circles as being indestructible. He has been wounded more times then he can remember and twice has woken up in a body bag. He is a habitual loner and likes it that way.

Tarin Farstar was at one time one of the deadliest assassins in the galaxy. She worked for several Hutt cartels and made a fortune at it. As beautiful as she is deadly she is known as the "ICE PICK" because of her cool indifference and quick kills. She has never let a target suffer. On her last mission something happened after the kill and she lost most of her memory. At any rate she found she had a price on her head set by the Empire. So with no friends and no home she decided to join the Rebellion and help them to help herself.

Chapter 4

Beauty and the Bronski

The two men almost slammed into each other as they stared at the woman walking down the hall. She didn't look like the average woman from this part of the city. She was tall and walked with an air of confidence around her that made people move aside. She was a woman on a mission and no time for any foolishness.

The hallway was dark and the only light was flickering so badly that it gave a strobing effect to the grimy walls. She moved with grace and poise like she was walking down a runway at some fancy fashion show. Her body swished with each step in such a way as to say, " Yea, I'm hot and I know it ". She was dressed all in black including her long coat that billowed and flowed with each step. Her hair was long and dyed a shimmering ghostly blue. She was cold in appearance, unapproachable and distant. She was like a Banshee gliding down the corridor that you couldn't look away from and would not dare touch for fear of being overcome by it's power and consumed.

The woman stopped in front of the last door in the hallway and listened. It was quiet and that was unusual she thought. Just then she heard yelling from behind the door. It was a man's voice; he sounded like he was fighting an army. She stepped back and kicked in the door. What had he gotten himself into this time she thought?

Bronski grabbed his knife from his belt. It was a huge knife used for killing things that didn't want to be killed. For killing things that fought back and fought back hard. He had the Defel by the throat with one hand and plunged the knife in its huge chest over and over. The Defel just laughed at Bronski as feathers poured from the wounds. Feathers were everywhere. Where's the blood? There should be huge amounts of blood everywhere thought Bronski. The room was dark and he heard the screams of women. "I'm comin'!" yelled Bronski. "Hang on, I'm comin'! "

The door slammed open with a thud. The woman dove into the room and tumbled coming to rest on one knee. Her arm was outstretched, fist clenched as she aimed her wrist rockets around the room searching frantically for a target. What she saw made her groan in half laughter, half disgust. Bronski was standing on the bed in the middle of the room yelling and stabbing a pillow to death. A prostitute was lying on the floor with a bloodied nose , she must have been behind the door when she kicked it in." Sorry." she said to the prostitute. The woman just nodded and pointed at Bronski. She noticed a second prostitute pinned under the bed where it had collapsed.

"Another flash back." Tarin thought to herself. At least he had underwear on this time. She set a stun dart to high and fired hitting Bronski in his chest. He yelled through clenched teeth as he convulsed wildly and fell on the bed then bounced once and landed on the floor with a thud.

Bronski groaned and looked up slowly. A tall beautiful woman was standing over him, hands on hips. " Flash back?" He said as he drugs himself up against the wall.

" Yea, another flash back you big jerk." she replied. Tarin looked at the human wreckage on the floor in front of her. His body was covered with, scars from a hundred battles. Arms and legs were not quite symmetrical as they should be after being broken and set countless times. Bronski was a marvel to behold. He should have been killed a hundred battles ago but he was apparently indestructible, the perfect warrior.

Tarin looked at the man on the floor and shook her head. The two prostitutes had stopped screaming and were getting dressed as quickly as they could. "Here." said Tarin as she handed them more credits then they were worth. The two women grabbed their clothes and "appliances" and quickly left. "Thanks for the tip hun said the older of the two as the other pushed the door back into place

Bronski still in a half dazed stupor stared at Tarin as she paid for his hookers. She was beautiful, tall and thin with an athletic toned build. She was thin but still had just enough curves and good parts as not to be skinny. She was without a doubt beautiful as she was deadly. For some reason beyond his understanding she had confided in him about her past. She was a trained assassin and good at it. She was a killer for hire and had made a lot of money at it. Maybe she felt a kindred spirit with him because he had been dealing out death himself for such a long time. He considered her one of his few friends. Most folk just put up with him because he would kill just about anything they wanted killed. He wasn't a pleasant man to be around and he knew it. He knew it and didn't care. He had seen so much death it just didn't bother him any more.

"Come on old man." Tarin said. " We have to go to a meeting and everyone has been looking for you all morning."

" What's the big deal, you found me easy enough." Bronski, now on his feet began to put on his clothes.

"Finding bad people is what I do you horrible old fart or has all that brain damage made you forget?" No matter what she said to this old warrior he never got mad at her.

"Kiss my old hairy ass you scanky bitch." said Bronski. He coughed up a huge wad of phlegm and spat it on the floor.

" Hurry up Bronski, and you do owe me for the hookers, I draw the line at paying for your hookers asshole."

" I'm comin' already. What's this meeting about anyway?" Bronski grabbed his scatter caster. In an age of star ships and light sabers he still used a scatter caster, he would probably use a battle-ax if they did more damage or made more noise.

"Not sure." Said Tarin. " Maybe they found out that Mykala can fly around in the sky like a great big air serpent."

" What the hell do you got against Mykala Tarin, she ain't never done nuthin' to you." Bronski said as he tried to pull his pants up over his boots.

" Why do you do that, why do you always put your boots on first! " Tarin said angrily.

" You are the only one in this damned galaxy that does that!"

" If you must know the particulars of my dressing regiment it is because I'm the only bastard in this damn galaxy that realizes that in any crisis it is far more important to have a good set of boots on than pants that's why."

"What crisis stupid! There is no crisis."Tarin was massaging her temples in utter frustration at this point.

" Hah! Exactly my point , you never know when a crisis will present itself thus making it a crisis! " Bronski was now very pleased with himself and stuffed what was left of his cigar into his whiskered maul.

"I've shot far better men for a lot less than the stupid things that you say on a daily basis you ugly nerf."

" Well you won't because one day when you realize how fat and old you've gotten you'll need a man like me to crack open that ice box between your legs and jam a big strong baby in it so you won't spend the rest of your life hearing people say " Hey, there goes that old dried out lesbian."

Tarin stood looking at Buck Bronski, the worst man she had ever met and was amazed that he was still alive, that nobody had been able to kill him yet. I bet it's because they just want to hear if he could do or say anything as dumb as his last utterance.

Bronski took a long drag off the filthy cigar and blew it straight into Tarin's face as if he had read her mind.

Tarin almost spoke but instead she just shook her head and started walking down the hall.

Buck groaned as he hoisted himself up to leave. He took one last look around the room to see if there was anything he needed to get rid of. Satisfied he wasn't leaving anything behind he hurried after Tarin.

"Hurry it up old school." she said not even looking back. "What did ya say Tarin, I couldn't hear." Bronski was double timing it now just to catch up to Tarin's leggy stride.

"It sucks being old with a young woman like that out there. Damn that is one hell of a woman." Bronski thought to himself. "You really are one sad son of a gundark to be in love with a woman half your age and as beautiful as Tarin. Even if you were her age a woman like that would have never given you the time of day." Bronski thought.

Tarin stopped for Bronski to catch up; he was slightly out of breath. "Thanks." He said a little embarrassed.

" What did you say this meeting was about again Tarin, I kind of forgot what with last nights circumstance and you pumping twenty thousand volts in me." Buck said buffing.

"I used Fifty thousand volts on you because I new you would need more to drop you." Said Tarin glancing at Bronski as he tried to keep up with her pace on his crooked legs. Tarin slowed her stride just a little.

" Besides, I told you I don't know, but I do know that everyone is supposed to be there. That's why they sent me to find you. Why did you go to that other hotel, weren't you and Baltis sharing a room?"

"Well I thought it would be better to split up for security concerns." Bronski spat out his cigar with out looking to see were it might have landed.

"Translation, Baltis didn't want your hookers in the room." Tarin interrupted.

"Well there was that issue to be considered…" Bronski mumbled as he scratched his stubble.

Tarin reached into her coat and gave Bronski a fresh box of cigars. He looked at Tarin and smiled. "Gee, thanks Tarin, that was nice of you, which one explodes?" Buck took one and lit on up as he jammed the rest in his armored vest.

"They all do, I didn't want to take any chances of you surviving." Tarin responded.

"Good thinkin' Stretch." Bronski answered as he admired the fresh cigar.

They exited the hotel into the bright sunlight of the late morning. Vehicles were zipping up and down in front of the building.

"What's that?" asked Bronski looking at a highly customized swoop bike. It was all black with era decent blue trim. He new it was Tarins.

"It's my new ride, do you like it ?"Tarin said as she did a quick twirl and posed in front of it.

"I ain't ridin' on no girly piece of shit like that !" Bronski growled.

"You can drive." Tarin said in a sing song tone.

" Gimme' " Said Bronski reaching out for the starting chip.

The swoop's engine started with ease, Bronski smiled," Get on ." he said to Tarin. She climbed on and through her arms around Bucks thick waist.

"Punch it old man." she knew that Bronski was itching to show off like a school boy.

"Yeah baby! he yelled and crunched down on the accelerator. The swoop's thrust drivers made the bike fish tail wildly into traffic and then straighten out and become a blur whining down the main street.

"Yeah, that's the way to do it old man !"Tarin yelled.

Bronski's eyes were wide as they could get. He had never ridden anything this fast. The speed was so fast he was barely able to hang on to the control bar.

"Okay now really open it up! " she yelled.

Was she nuts? They were going to die for sure. Bronski was actually scared as the swoop kept going faster and faster.

That's it I'm stopping this thing." he thought to himself. Just then Tarin started rubbing herself against him and squeeze his waist tighter. He punched it. "If I'm gonna die this is as good a way as any." he thought to himself. He hung on for his life flying in and out of traffic.

It was the thrill of near death that was getting Tarin excited. She was with an indestructible man and that drove her to push the limits of his luck.

He was old enough to be her father but she couldn't help being attracted to him, the worst man she had ever met.

She had been with the finest men in the galaxy but she never was able to make a connection with any of them. Those men just wanted her because she was dangerous, their assassin lover. She was something to brag to their friends about. She new she had been no better with them. She had been attracted to their wealth and power along with the life style. She enjoyed being with the movers and the shakers of the galaxy . She had been born into poverty and had clawed and killed her way to the top. Those men would have never really understood or forgave her for what she had done in her past. Now Bronski was a completely different animal. He was a stone killer , some would say monster, very few would call him friend.

They made it to the meeting place in one piece. As soon as Bronski got off the swoop he emptied his flask in one long gulp. He looked at Tarin who was still sitting on the swoop. She was leaning back with both arms behind her pushing her chest forward in her bodice. "Well, what do you think?" she said smiling.

"I think you'd be safer riding on a proton torpedo." He growled

"Oh Bronski you do care." she said

"Phhhtt, yeah, right. Bronski said. Gimme' my old battle frame for safety and speed any day." Boasted Bronski. "Besides, it's got more firepower than an ATAT." Bronski grinned.

"Too bad it smells like your ass." Tarin added.

"Hey, that smell is my security system to keep any fuckers from stealing it, they wouldn't last a minute inside." He protested.

"That is true enough I must agree." she conceded.

Bronski leaned over and with a precise touch of a finger pushed Tarin all the way back on the swoop as far as she could go with out her falling off. He looked at her smiling as his massive hand grabbed his scatter caster from the other side of the swoop and in one move leaned back and released his immobilizing touch.

Bronski was proud of the fact that he has never harmed any woman unless they were trying to kill him or a friend. Tarin was just in his way and so he simply moved her.

When Bronski pushed her back she instinctively tried to resist but the pressure point he used only gave her the option to grab the swoop and not fall. Without even giving it a second thought he had made the "ICE PICK" as helpless as a child. He hadn't even noticed it was so instinctive a move for him. Tarin was a little flustered that his complete control over her excited her. She sat up as he walked away and placed her hand on her chest. her heart was racing. She looked at Bronski walking away, "What a man." she thought.

Buck turned and saw Tarin sitting there, staring at him.

"I just wanted my gun, what are you gonna do? Cry cause I touched your highness?" Bronski said sarcastically.

He had no idea how much she liked him, he wouldn't have believed it if he new.

Tarin quickly leapt off the swoop and ran to Buck's side and shouldered him playfully. He looked at her questioningly," Why you acting so weird."

"Just shut up and walk stupid. "she replied.

With out warning Buck shoved her as hard as he could. Tarin went flying and landed hard behind a big stack of metal pipes.

"You son of a bitch!" she screamed.

She looked over at Bronski as she tried to get up. As if time had suddenly slowed she saw him readying his scatter caster at his shoulder and looking straight ahead. Three laser blasts struck him cleanly in his chest. The armor plating on the vest erupted. Amazingly he pressed on forward yelling in anger.

Tarin jumped up a carefully looked over the pipes.

Bronski was firing non-stop and making every shot count. She saw four Gotals standing returning fire and two more on the ground dying from Buck's first shots. What made it worse is that she knew the attackers. They were from a gang she had double-crossed before she joined up with Bronski and the rest. They had come for her and now they were killing Bronski who had just saved her. He could have dove for cover when he shoved her but he stood his ground to make sure she would be alright .

Tarin quickly took aim and fired four wrist rockets at the attackers. Each rocket could destroy a speeder. She hadn't counted on them caring grenades.

There was a bright flash and then darkness. She woke up to a terrible ringing in her ears. Her eyes wouldn't focus and she was barely able to stand up. Smoke and fire were everywhere as if she was in Hades itself, maybe she was she thought.

"Bronski!" she yelled. "Bronski where are you!" she didn't care that she was giving away her position. Tarin stumbled and fell over something. "Buck !" she yelled. Hoping he would answer to his first name. The smoke began to clear and she could just make out Bronski's red bandana in the back seat of a speeder that had been blown up against a building down the street. Tarin half staggering half running made it down the street to the speeder. Bronski's crumpled body was wedged into the rear of the car. "Bronski!" Tarin yelled again as she tried to pull him free. His body was covered in blood and gore. His eyes were staring blankly with no signs of life.

"NOOOO!" she cried ,as she began to pull harder.

Tarin called frantically into the comlink for any of the rest of the group. They must have heard the explosion since they were nearly at the meeting place.

"Tarin, it's Kang, what is wrong? " a deep gravely voice answered.

"Kang, I can't explain right now but lock on my signal a bring transport !" she said.

"I'm on my way." answered the huge reptilian.

Tarin pulled one last time on Bronski's body. Something broke and he tumbled out of the wreckage and hit the ground like a bag of wet sand, motionless.

She had lost her grip and had also fallen. There lay Buck covered in blood and broken in the street. She was responsible for this , they were after her.

"Kang…I think Buck is dead…we were attacked, they're all dead and so is Bronski!" her voice was shaky , it was never shaky.

"I am almost there." Kang said reassuringly.

Tarin realized that sirens were now getting closer. Soon the area would be crawling with storm troopers. She held Buck's head in her lap and looked into his staring eyes. She wiped the tears away from her own eyes and then gently closed Bronski's. To her horror they opened back up.

""Just how many stupid things are you planning on doing today anyway." groaned Bronski.

Tarin looked in disbelief at the talking corpse.

"Well just don't sit there, help me up. Or maybe the fucking great assassin ain't done trying to kill me." He said wincing in pain.

"You son of a nerf herder! " she screamed and kicked him in his ribs. "I thought you were dead!"

"Ouch you crazy bitch! I'm hurt!" Buck howled.

"Oh, you're not even close to being hurt!" Tarin stood over Bronski as he tried to defend himself from her kicks.

Kang had set the lander down with a thud. His friends needed help and he didn't have time for a by the book landing. He left the engines running as he made his way threw the smoke and flames. "Tarin !" His voice boomed above the crackle of the flames.

There through the smoke walked Tarin now completely recovered from the blast. She walked right past Kang and headed towards the lander.

"Where is Bronski ?" Kang asked.

"Who the fuck cares! "shot back Tarin as she kept walking.

Kang looked back in the direction she had come from. He could just make out Bronski limping toward him. He was using his own gun as a crutch.

"Bronski? I was told you were dead ."Kang said.

Buck made his way over to Kang and stopped. He took out one of the fresh cigars Tarin had given him and lit it. He was covered in blood and his clothes were in tatters.

"Kang old buddy, something tells me fore the next few days I'm gonna wish I was. "Bronski said as they booth looked over toward the lander.


End file.
